town in West Virginia
Honey bee forage in Ridgeley, West Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 75% of sites in West Virginia. Against other West Virginia sites it stands out most in fall (99th percentile) and lowest in spring (27th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 2.2 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 2.0 mi SE, grown 4 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 2.5 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ridgeley?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jun 30, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ridgeley, from what grows within flight range (about 3.7 miles) and when it blooms here. Dates are the model's estimate for a typical year; the spring index for this spot falls on Apr 22.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Soybeans: about 100 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.2 mi SE, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 140 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Sunflower: about 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.5 mi N, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
From USDA's crop maps for 2021–2025; fields rotate, so a crop counts by how often it was grown. Listing a field says nothing about its owner.
The land and water around Ridgeley
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Southern and Central Appalachian Cove Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.23 mi W; open water 0.23 mi W.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 75% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Ridgeley ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 63rd | 80th | 58th | 59th |
| West Virginia | 75th | 27th | 96th | 99th |
| Ridge and Valley | 63rd | 58th | 72nd | 95th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 35% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around Ridgeley: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Carpendale 1 mi · Wiley Ford 2 mi · Fort Ashby 10 mi · Green Spring 11 mi · Springfield 14 mi · Keyser 18 mi
All towns in West Virginia · National map · How the scoring works
An estimate from public maps (USDA crop maps 2021–2025 averaged, LANDFIRE vegetation), not a survey of the ground. Maps can't see garden plantings, understory density, other beekeepers' hives, or this year's weather. The point is the Census Bureau's published center of Ridgeley (39.6413, -78.7729); a yard a mile or two away can differ, so check your own spot. The FEMA flood map was not checked for this page. Benchmark 2026.5, built 2026-10-19. How this works · All sources.